Born near Howden (which would
later become the RAF Airship Base), he father was a Curate at Laxton.
Joining the Navy in 1913, he served aboard HMS Indomitable and took part
in the chase of the Goeben and Breslau and later in the
bombardment of the Dardenelles and the Battle of Dogger Bank. In 1915 he
transferred to the RNAS and became an airship pilot, serving at Luce Bay and
then Howden, near his birthplace, where he flew 'C' Type airships on North Sea
patrols. At the end of war, he remained in the RAF and remained on
airships, becoming a 1st Class Navigator following a course in 1920.

During
his period as OC No 15 Sqn, that he adopted the form 'XV' for the squadron
number which has been used ever since.Sir
Thomas was asked to became first C in C of the independent Indian Air Force, but
ill health forced him to end his tour early he returned to Britain and
retirement.He became a County Councilor
in Fife in 1950 and Civil Defence Controller for the Eastern Zone of
Scotland in 1952.However, he gave
up these posts in 1953 when he joined the Ministry of Supply to organise the
staff and transportation of equipment in connection with the Atomic Bomb trails
in Australia.Completing this task
he was appointed the Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Island of
Guernsey, remaining in this post until 1958, on retirement from this post, he
returned to Fife, where he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant in 1960, remaining in
post until 1970.